MoU Signed To Boost Malaysia-Australia Agricultural Cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries in the field of agriculture. The Malaysian Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry in a statement Tuesday said the MoU was signed by Deputy Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Australian Agriculture and Water Resources Minister, Barnaby Joyce in Rome on Monday in conjunction with the ongoing 40th conference of Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). “The MoU will renew the collaboration agreement signed by Malaysia and Australia on March 8, 2006, and will further boost the cooperation and bilateral ties between the two countries in the field of agriculture,” the statement said. Apart from providing a platform to discuss new areas of potential cooperation on agriculture and forestry, the collaboration would also ensure the continuation of the Malaysia-Australia Agricultural Cooperation Working Group (MAACWG) programmes. The statement also quoted Tajuddin as saying that besides fostering closer ties between the two countries, the MoU would give Malaysia with the opportunity to further enhance the production capacity of its crop, livestock, fishery, aquaculture and forestry industries and thereby support the transformation of the country's agricultural sector. "One of the new bilateral initiatives which have been launched is on capacity building in developing effective preparedness and emergency response to animal diseases as Australia has been recognised internationally for its disease-free livestock industry,” he said. He said with the close cooperation and through the Australian government's policy, there would be better demand and a bigger market for Malaysian agricultural products. -- BERNAMA